The Articles of Confederation

 Written: 1776-1777
The first draft was presented to the Continental Congress on July 12, 1776.
Congress Adopted it on: November 15, 1777
It was fully ratified by all 13 states on: March 1, 1781
The Articles of Confederation was replaced by the U.S. Constitution on March 4, 1789.
The Articles of Confederation stated the following

• Regulate foreign affairs
• War
• Postal service
• Appoint military officers
• Control indian affairs
• Borrow money
• Determine the value of a coin
• Issue bills of credit

*In reality, Congress didn't really have any of these powers.
The Articles of Confederation gave the state governments most of the power, leaving the federal government to be weak.

Weakness's of the Articles of Confederation

• Congress couldn't levy or collect taxes. This meant that the nation could not pay off their war debt.
• Congress was powerless to regulate commerce and foreign trade.
• Each state only had one vote in congress, regardless of its size.
• Two-thirds majority was required to pass laws.
• Articles could only be amended with the consent of all the states.
• No seperated executive branch to enforce acts of Congress.
• No system of federal courts.
• 
  

People who contributed to the Articles of Confederation
Connecticut
Roger Sherman
Samuel Huntington
Oliver Wolcott
Titus Hosmer
Andrew Adams

New York
James Duane
Francis Lewis
Wm Duer
Gouv. Morris

New Jersey
Jno Witherspoon
Nath. Scudder

Pennsylvania
Robt Morris
Daniel Roberdeau
John Bayard Smith
William Clingan
Joseph Reed

Virginia
Richard Henry Lee
John Banister
Thomas Adams
Jno Harvie
Francis Lightfoot Lee

South Carolina
Henry Laurens
Williams Henry Prayton
Jno Mathews
Richd Hutson
Thus Heyward Junr

New Hampshire
Josiah Barlett
John Wentworth Jr.

Massachusetts Bay
John Hancock
Samuel Adams
Elbridge Gerry
Francis Dans
James Lovell
Samuel Holten

Rhode Island
William Ellery
Henry Merchant
John Collins

Delaware
Tho Mckean
John Dickinson
Nicholas Van Dyke

Maryland

John Hanson
Daniel Carroll

Georgia
Jno Walton
Edwd Telfeir
Edwd Langworthy

North Carolina
John Penn
Corns Harnett
Jno Williams










The Articles of Confederation gave the United States a sense of how to self-govern themselves under a written document.

Sources:
http://school.eb.com
http://www.usconstitution.net/articles.html
Google Images
9th grade history book
http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/articles.html

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/9-12/documents/articles/index.html
http://www.kidspast.com/world-history/0368-articles-of-confederation.php

Links:
http://digital.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=atla;cc=atla;rgn=full%20text;idno=atla0057-5;didno=atla0057-5;view=image;seq=00583;node=atla0057-5%3A1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h10eSXRFsTM
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/9-12/documents/articles/index.html